IJM Peru helps open new safe spaces for women and children in police stations
Summary:
IJM Peru recently supported the opening of safe waiting rooms for women and children in two police stations in Lima, Peru’s capital city.
One of the police stations also opened a room specifically designed for mothers to safely leave their children in so that they can more easily report crimes.
These new spaces provide a safe and dignified environment for women and children seeking protection, helping mitigate some of the impact of trauma.
“We want to improve the care of survivors, so that they feel that despite the trauma they have suffered, there are spaces within the police station where they can be treated with dignity”. - Alfonso Wieland, director of IJM Peru
Such rooms are desperately needed in Peru – a country in which 2 in 3 women have been subjected to violence at some point in their lives.
The situation is equally concerning for children: shockingly, 78% of children aged 12 to 17 have experienced some form of violence in their family.
“Today, we have accomplished our goal: to ensure that anyone who comes to report any type of violence will be cared for properly.” - Colonel Rosa Serna, head of the Division for Protection against Family and Gender Violence of the National Police of Peru
IJM Peru also trained the officials in understanding the effects of trauma on the mental and emotional health of survivors.
Not only does trauma-informed care help police officers and social workers to better support survivors to heal and obtain justice, but it also helps protect their own mental health.
Learn more about IJM’s work to protect women and children from violence >>
*Image depicts one of the newly-opened safe waiting rooms in a police station in Lima, Peru